Hearing aid



-July 20, 1948.

F. A. GABBERT HEARING AID Filed April 2v, 1944 Patented July 20, 1948 Ferdinand A. Gabbert, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor, by mesne assignments, to William Edward J ohnsto Application April 27, 1944, Serial No. 532,986

set, such as batteries.

In most of the hearing aids commercially manufactured and sold at this time, the microphone is mounted with the amplifier apparatus in a fixed relationship and encased by a common housing. The entire set in such instances, ex-

clusive of the batteries, and earphone, is thus supported from 4a pocket or by a clamp from Various parts of the clothing of the user, One or two hearing aid sets commercially manufactured have employed an extensible microphone which could be suspended by a clip or other attachment means to the upper portion of the wearers clothing for most efficient reception, while the electronic amplifier mechanism was `encased and could be supported in a pocket or elsewhere on the body or apparel of the user.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a very compact and highly ornate hearing aid device wherein the microphone may be employed in the usual fixed relationship to the amplifier mechanism and wherein the microphone if desired may be readily extended through its connection by the very exible service cord with the amplifier apparatus and independently supported from a part of the wearers clothing at -a point removed considerably from the suspension of the thermionic amplifier mechanism.

More specifically it is an object to provide a simple but highly efficient hearing aid wherein a thermionic amplifier apparatus is housed within a compact closed casing and wherein the microphone for the set is removably housed and .retained in the upper portion of a readily removable cap member fitted to the upper rportion of the said casing and forming in effect a continuation of said casing, such combinative structure enabling the microphone to be removed from the 'casing and separately supported from the .Wearers clothing some distance from the amplifier and at a point most effective for receiving 'the sound vibrations.

A further object is the provision of a multi-part casing having detachable hollow caps or ends forming in conjunction with the main portion of the invention a continuous compact housing and utilizing such cap casing portions for the housing of a microphone and other equipment such as small batteries for supplying the set.

With my improved construction the purchaser fof a set,rifrhe prefers, may utilize the set in a 5 Claims. (Cl. 179-107) 2 l conventional manner with the microphone mounted in fixed relation to the amplifier or may, if he desires, and which has been found to produce more efficient hearing, remove the microphone yfrom its portion of the housing leaving a complete housing for the amplifier mechanism and mount the microphone in the most effective position for receiving sound waves.

Another object is the lprovision of the removable housing means for the microphone which frictionally retains the microphone and the service cord when the latter is folded out of sight and is a part of an ornate substantially rectangular case.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be more apparent from the following description made in connection with the ac'- companying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the several views, and in Which- Figure 1` is a front elevation of one form of `my hearing aid with the microphone and its service cord housed in fixed relation within the upper cap member of the casing;

Figure 2 is a view or the same hearing aid with the cap member removed and the microphone extended to a point for suspension thereof, removed from the transmitter mechanism;

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3--3 ofFigure 1;

Figure 4 is a View of a somewhat different set having a removable hollow casing portion, or cap, mounted at the bottom end of the main casing and carrying and housing the batteries for supplying the'set; and

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation with some portions shown in vertical section, of the microphone, showing the construction of the retaining clip. i

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, a main, compact casing 5 of substantially .rectangular shape and somewhat oval in cross sectional shape is provided having mounted there- `in `preferably on a suitable chassis, the electronic and electrical apparatus constituting the amplifier mechanism forI the set. The casing is provided with a vertical slot 5a for accommodating the` thumb manipulating disc 6 of the volume control for the amplifier, a small arc of the periphbasing 5 is closed and has a reduced peripheral lip 5b with an abutment shoulder 5c disposed at the lower portion thereof, said lip being substantially oval in peripheral shape and being adapte-d to snugly and frictionally fit the interior peripheral skirt of a hollow cap member 9 made of generally similar shape to the casing 5 and forming, when joined with casing 5, a contlnuationthereof to providel an elongated symmetrical and highlyy ornate two-part casing, The microphone l utilized is of a shape and size to be nicely accom-- modated with the upper portion of the hollow cap 9 leaving therein sufficient space for enclosing also the service cord Il, containing' the' electricalv conductors for the microphone when such cord is folded compactly, The microphone Il) preferably snugly ts the interior rof the cap member 9 and as shown is provided with a spring clip Illa for attachment to a garment or edge, said spring clip, as shown, having the handle portion of the ntrgerv thereof normally urged outwardly in a position oblique to the rear ilat surface of the microphone'and kbeing yieldable to a position parallelfiwith such surface for frie'tonal retention within` the cap. Standard microphones of such structure are available on the American market and the housing'v and itsl capA member 9 ,are constructed and dimensioned to properly litl the selected microphone to be utilized.

The front -face of the cap member ill ispreferably provided witl'i'an aperture, or vapertures 9a, to `facilitate transmission of sound waves to the microphone within the cap.A

It will be noted that the skirt of the cap'- member 9 @verlies the lip 5b for av considerable distahoe; forming Ain' conjunction therewith an ef- -iicientrfric'tion joint to detachably assemble the casing and 'cap 9' to' form an integral housing.

Some purchasers 'of my improved set prefer to retain the microphone in its lfixed relationship to the amplifier mechanism asthe setis shipped :andto suspend or mount the setamplier and microphone from va pocket or edge,` or part of the wearers clothing. A considera-ble percentage of purchasers prefer to utilize the n'fiicrophonev separate'drfrom the amplifier casing which may be readily accomplished 'by removing and not utilizing the capmember 9, during normal use of the device, the'casing 5 being 'closed at its upper end constituting a complete housing and the microphone being extensible to various positions-wherey it maybe suspended for most advantageous receiving of sound vibrations.

-In Figure 4' a soni'ewhatidiiierent form" oi?kr my invention is illustrated, some portions being broken 'away' to. show the interiit'ting andconneetion of the v'upper and lower ycap members. this form of the'i-nvention, a somewhat smaller microphone 2G is utilized anda somewhatsmfaller upper cap nienliii'ei -2l,' housing in the- 'manner ofthe invention describedythe microphone 'aldiilis service cord in 'compact relation, "alld'i"sposed when assembled above the upper end of the maiiicasing 22 wherein the thermionic ampli- ''ei apparatus `lis mounted.

In the lower end ofthe main-portion -22 'of the easing a depending li1;v22'a,y similar tothe lipf5b is v izlrovided, l by diminishing the lower peripheral portion 'ofthe 'casingZZL 22a-isadapted torecei've and fri'-tionally connect' with the skirt'of an inverted Gassman-iter 23, substantiallyfsiinilar inflength*andI shape to 'the capfr'nemfberl for 'the microphone; 'The cross sectional shape land length of "cap are properly proportioned 'to Asnugly house 'the supply batteries A 'and E of 4 small size therein. While such batteries are 'not at present'available to any great extent, due to the war emerg-ency, they were made in small size before the World War and in all probability will again be generally available after the present World War.

With the caps 2| and 23 housing their respective pieces of apparatus' they aref` removably joined with the main casing section 22 tol form an integral housing for the entire set. There is adequate clearance between the tops of the batf teries A and B and the bottom of the main housing 22 to accommodate the battery connection c'ordsand if desired, the cap member 23 may be made off sullicient depth to also house the earphon and' itsy cord', not shown.

It will.,v of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangements and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a hearingaid device, thermionic amplifying apparatus, a casing housing saiolapparatus and having an elongated microphone yoord extending therefrom, a microphoneelectri'cally -connected'` with. the conductors of said" -cor'd and a hollow vcap member detaoha'blyconnectable with one end o'f said casing and-when" connected constituting substantial-ly a continuation ofsaid casing, the interior of` said c'ap being constructed to snugly receive and detaehably house said'micr'ophone and? its' service'cord when thev latter isffol'de'din compact relation.

v2f?. In' a hearing aid device, a compactly arran'glfzdv electronic amplifying apparatus',- va closed substantially rectangular cashg housing,v said apparatus a flexible microphone cord extending from said oasi-ng; a microphone electrically ecn'- Anected with the conductors of said cord, a hollow Capfmember detachablyconne etableA with one `end of said'casing, the interior' of saidy cap-member beingv con'sructed to snugly'receive'and detachably house said microphone and its service cord yand said vcasingy at one end thereof having attachment means for securing said capl thereto with said' microphone housed within said cap.

3. The structure set forth in claim '2, wherein said att'achr'nentv means comprises 'al flangeadapted toi-nteriit with the skirt of said lcap member. "-4. In a hearing aid device, ain-electronic ampiifying apparatus compactly mounted, a closed casing of substantially rectangular shape'housing said amplifying apparatus, a hollow cap member detachably connectable with one'end 'of'said casing and when. connected constituting substantiallya continuation of said casing, a microphone electrically connected with sa'id amplifying apparatus "and Yconstructed 'to be snugly housed within said cap member, a 'second lhollow cap memberld'etachably connectable "to the opposite endtof said casing arrd when connectedalsoc'dnstitutingsubstantl'ailly a 'continuation ofl 'said `casing 'and a'p'lurality` of smallbattery cells snugly housed within vsaid last mentioned cap `member and lelectrically connected with-'said `amplifying apparatus.

5. ina hearing-aid `dcvicea compact electronic ampliffyin'g'apparatus, a closed substantlally'rectangular casing housing said apparatus, a flexible microphoneservicecord `extermling*from said 'casing and having its 'conductors `electrically connected' withsal'dapparatus, a Vmicrophone :electrically `connected with the `conductors offsaid cord, ahollow c'apinetnber detachably connecttable lat lone endpfs'aidl casing' andwh'e'nbnected constituting substantially a continuation of said casing, said cap member and said microphone being so proportioned and constructed to enable said microphone to be compactly received with its service cord Within said cap member, said microphone having an attachment clip thereon, said clip having a dual function of yieldably engaging the interior of said cap to retain said microphone therein.

FERDINAND A. GABBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Taylor Oct. 15, 1935 Polk Mar. 4, 1941l Field et al Aug. 12, 1941 Dubilier June 8, 1943 Galloway Dec. 28, 1943 Fresise et al July 22, 1947 

